Last week, the secretary of state and representatives of the Ministry of National Defence met, among others with Theresa Whelan - deputy secretary of defence for national defence and global security.

The conversation focused mainly on cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and cyber defence. Currently, works related to the creation of cyberspace defence forces are being finalized at the Polish Ministry of National Defence. It is a response to the growing challenges and threats to the security of Poland's cyberspace and one of the priority areas of defence ministry activity.

The exchange of know-hows with such an experienced ally as the United States is extremely important in this process. During the meeting, Deputy Minister Zdzikot and Theresa Whelan stressed the good cooperation between Poland and the US in the field of cyber security and determined further steps that would deepen Polish-American relations in this sphere. At the meeting, the readiness to cooperate and openness to further cooperation in the field of broadly understood cybersecurity between the US, Polish and other countries of the alliance were underlined.

The opportunities to achieve common goals, support in the exchange of experience and joint exercises in the cyber domain organized by the US Cyber Command with reference among others to the records of the latest National Cyber Strategy of the United States of America, also were discussed.

The deputy head of the Ministry of National Defence also met with the commander of the Illinois National Guard, Major General R. J. Hayes, with whom he talked about the recruitment procedures and methods of training candidates for service in the area of cyber security. One of the topics discussed concerned also issues related to the planning of carrier paths for officers and non-commissioned officers dealing with cyber security.

During the talks, issues related to the principles of remunerating and motivating soldiers to start military carrier were discussed. The deputy minister was briefed, among others about the operation of the Illinois National Guard recruitment battalion. He also met the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) staff in Illinois that prepares and train students to become future officers of the US Army.

The main tasks of soldiers of the Illinois National Guard in the area of cybersecurity include location of threats and effective response as well as maintaining partnerships with governmental, state and local agencies. The deputy head of the Defence Ministry, together with General Hayes, also took part in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the State of Illinois.

The deputy defence minister also talked with the leadership of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis about military training The Academy is one of the most prestigious military universities in the world. The university currently has nearly 4.5 thousand students. Minister Zdzikot also met with cadets of the Military University of Technology from Warsaw, who study at this university.

During his visit, the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense also talked about conducting research, organization and project management, as well as developing military technologies with representatives of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Deputy Minister together with the Polish Consul General in Chicago, Piotr Janicki and Defence Attaché Major General Wiśniewski, laid a wreath at the Katyn monument in the city of Niles, Illinois and lit candles under the plaque commemorating the victims of the Smolensk catastrophe and laid flowers at the Arlington Cemetery.

The deputy minister also took part in the ceremony of awarding the Officer's Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland to lieutenant Leonard Mackiewicz, soldier of the army of General Anders, participant of the Battle of Arnhem (Holland).